


for all it’s worth

by petcheetah



Series: the end of the (f*cking) world [4]
Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Hurt/Comfort, Immortality, Post-Apocalypse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-14
Updated: 2019-03-14
Packaged: 2019-11-17 22:44:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,105
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18108017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/petcheetah/pseuds/petcheetah
Summary: we will survive.the first year, and the last year. and still they remain at one another’s side.





	for all it’s worth

Neither of them could bring themselves to travel away from where the Umbrella Academy had once been, it being one of the only familiar places they could still recognise now that there was nothing. They spent a few weeks just wandering around the place. Neither of them said much to each other – there really wasn’t much to talk about in the aftermath of the apocalypse, even for two of the most talkative of the Umbrella Academy – but they were able to enjoy the company of another person.

It wasn’t until the third week that Five decided enough was enough. He couldn’t stand wandering around the same place, over and over again. The same destroyed landscape, the same darkened sky, the same gravestones they had created in order to let their family have somewhere to rest.

Klaus didn’t hesitate in agreeing. He said something about how the ghosts hated them being there anyway, and that the food would probably run out soon anyway. He hadn’t been able to find any drugs buried under all the rubble, so he was constantly flicking his eyes around, and Five found out that this was the first time his brother had been sober in 17 years. He also found that the sobriety his brother had been basically forced into brought out the more logical side of his brother, even though Klaus still looked terrified most of the time.

Side by side, they transversed the ruined world, searching high and low for any sign of life. Klaus would talk with the ghosts who were more sane than others, asking if any of them had seen anyone living besides them, but the answer was always the same.

“Everyone is dead.”

Half a year passed and they were eating bugs. It was hard to find anything that had survived Vanya, but cockroaches and other similar bugs had managed it. At first, they both hated it, but they knew they had no other choice.

One day, they found a wine cellar, and Klaus was fed up enough that he allowed his young brother to join him in drinking the alcohol. That was when they found Delores, a mannequin who had lost her body in the destruction, but was the only human like thing they had found that wasn’t  _ dead _ . They brought her with them. She was a companion to the two who only had ghosts and each other to speak to.

Five finally brought up a topic he had been thinking about since the day Klaus opened his eyes and turned out to be alive a year after the fact. They had stopped for a rest. Neither had any clue as to where they were, but that no longer mattered.

“You don’t die.” Five said with a sigh, prying open a can with only his fingers. He didn’t look at Klaus, who was busy pushing rubble out of his way so he could get Delores settled.

“No, I don’t think I do.” Klaus responded after a moment, his voice uncaring. But Five knew better.

“When you died… after Vanya, what did you see?” Five couldn’t help but ask. He glanced up from the cab just in time to see Klaus shudder. His older brother picked Delores up and gently sat her down in the seat of rubble he had created.

“God.” Klaus said, and then turned his head just enough to look over his shoulder at Five, “She’s a real asshole, you know. Doesn’t like me. I suppose that’s why she won’t let me stay dead, huh?”

Five breathed in, and out. The lid of the can finally popped open. Klaus moved away from Delores and came to sit next to Five.

“Do you… wish you did stay dead? Instead of staying here?” Five whispered, looking away from Klaus once more.

Klaus let out a sigh that sounded more like a whistle than anything. He looked up to the darkened sky and hummed. He shrugged.

“Sometimes. I’d probably be able to get high easier there,” Klaus giggled, but then his face got somber, “But I wouldn’t want you to be alone. So… I don’t think so, no. This is better. I’m just glad that I can be here.”

Klaus wrapped an arm around Five’s shoulders and poked his cheek.

“Don't go thinking about things that haven’t happened. I’m not leaving you, brother dearest.”

Five nodded, and abruptly pulled Klaus into a hug.

“I’m glad you’re here.” The boy whispered. Klaus ruffled his brothers hair, and couldn’t help but smile.

“Me too. Now, how about we eat that food before the cockroaches get to it first?”

Five let out a yelp and let go of Klaus.

“Good idea.”

 

Years passed by quicker than they should have. It was difficult to stay alive at times, what with the lack of food and the fact they had to divide that small amount of food between the two of them, but they had one another. And Delores.

Sometimes things get stressful. Sometimes Klaus would say something and Five would get mad and upset and disappear for a few hours before coming back quietly. Sometimes Five would start going off about different mathematical equations Klaus didn’t understand, or start asking Klaus to summon their siblings, and Klaus would vanish for hours before returning full of apologises.

It was difficult. They both had to do unsavoury things to keep themselves alive, and being alone with only one other person and a mannequin messed with the mind, but they knew that they could leave one another.

Klaus had to learn how to be more responsible than he had ever been in his life to take care of his 17 year younger sibling, and that was a task in on itself. Five had to learn to explain his theories, to care more about others and actually express that as to not lash out as he did in the beginning.

Klaus was beginning to get grey hairs, but they both knew that was a sign they were surviving. Five decided that he might as well grow a beard, there was really no one but Klaus and Delores to criticise it and it made sense in keeping some of the cold out.

When Klaus’ bones began to creak, they travelled and collected enough food to last them at least a year or two. It was the first time they had returned to the Academy’s ruins in over 40 years. Five had a gun strapped to his back, Klaus had a pistol in the pocket of his torn and frayed jacket. They were tired.

And then they met The Handler, and everything went to shit.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you all so much for reading the past books for this series!! i’m overwhelmed by the love it’s recieving, thank you so very much!


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